The former comptroller of the Troy Housing Authority received $207,000 in incorrect payments while wrongfully collecting a public pension, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found in a report released today in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inspector general’s office.

“These public officials abused their positions to enrich themselves,” DiNapoli said. “My office will continue to protect taxpayers and the integrity of the retirement system. I will take strong action against those who seek to manipulate the rules for their own financial advantage. Thanks to our Investigations Unit working jointly with the HUD Inspector General, we were able to reveal this scam and work to recoup these ill-gotten gains.”

The report found that Roger Rosenthal returned to work as an “acting comptroller” at the authority and received a pension of $47,000 while allegedly sending in fraudulent documents to the avoid restrictions on so-called “double-dipping.”

The report also found that the authority’s former executive secretary William Meissner received up to $32,000 in leave time that he had already used and wasn’t entitled to. In one example, Meissner claimed he was working, but was actually at his daughter’s wedding in the Carribbean.

Both Meissner and Rosenthal took gifts and accepted free golf outings from vendors with business before the housing authority.

The report will be the subject of DiNapoli’s 2 p.m. news conference later today.

THA Report August 2012 Final 8-2-12

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